For years, there have been dudes building up supplies, awaiting civilisational collapse or the apocalypse. They were generally derided as tinfoil hat wearing alarmists. But it seems tin foil hats are back in fashion. Even the government are advising us to get prepping now. Only, it is not because of civilisational collapse or the apocalypse. Now it is the increased threat of hostile international actors, generally code for Russia, China, to a lesser extent Iran and anyone else they manage to mobilise.

What we are being asked to prep for is not quite a doomsday scenario. Rather, we are being asked to prepare for short term blackouts that could last days. To that end, we are being encouraged to stockpile basics like tinned food, water, medical necessities as well as ensuring we have access to windup radios, blankets and such like. These things are being mooted as sensible precautions in the face of foreign powers targeting critical infrastructure, such as underwater cables and pipelines that will affect power supplies, internet access and fuel.

Some people have been making such calls for many years. Typically, whilst we have felt relatively comfortable, very few people have given it much thought. Europeans have been encouraged to do this sort of thing a long time ago. If you are Poland, Finland or Latvia, I imagine the sense of comfort and ease is considerably less pronounced as you watch current goings on in Ukraine. The sense that these sorts of calls are overly dramatic and alarmist probably looks very different when Russia are your next-door neighbour. Those of us in Western Europe are only in the last few years beginning to feel the same sense of unease.

This, I suppose, is the nature of prepping. While things feel like a distant problem, a theoretically possible but not very likely issue, who is going to bother stockpiling anything? The need to prepare doesn’t seem necessary or pressing. When problems begin getting nearer to home, when the likelihood of these issues happening increases, the need to prepare suddenly takes on a different level of importance. It is a point made well by Mitchell & Webb here (NB: there is one swear word at the end so if you are liable to be offended, turn it off a around 2:45):

Clearly Mitchell & Webb have climate change in mind here. Regardless of one’s views on that, the sense of urgency in the face of impending disaster vs the lack of urgency when it is a way off is captured well. It could just as easily apply to more recent prepping advice.

Which brings me neatly to a matter the bible speaks about quite directly: the second coming of Jesus. This is an event for which the bible tells us to be ready. We are called to prepare for it. Jesus himself said to his disciples:

⁴² Therefore be alert, since you don’t know what day^[m] your Lord is coming. ⁴³ But know this: If the homeowner had known what time^[n] the thief was coming, he would have stayed alert and not let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ This is why you are also to be ready, because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matt 24:42-44)

This is an event for which we are called to be ready and to prepare ourselves because it has serious consequences:

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thess 5:1-3)

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. (John 5:28-29)

Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. (Rev 1:7)

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. (Heb 9:27-28)

There is a real and serious need to prepare for the second coming of Jesus. It is an event ever before us, an event for which we do not know the timing, and an event for which we need to be ready lest we face the catastrophic consequences.

But Peter picks up on this tendency to not see this as a matter of urgency. Though things may feel relatively comfortable, we are foolish if we are not ready and prepared. Peter says this:

³ Above all, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days scoffing and following their own evil desires, ⁴ saying, “Where is his ‘coming’ that he promised? Ever since our ancestors fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation.” ⁵ They deliberately overlook this: By the word of God the heavens came into being long ago and the earth was brought about from water and through water. ⁶ Through these the world of that time perished when it was flooded. ⁷ By the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

⁸ Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. ⁹ The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

¹⁰ But the day of the Lord will come like a thief;^[a] on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.^{[b][c] 11} Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness ¹² as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.^[d] Because of that day, the heavens will be dissolved with fire and the elements will melt with heat. ¹³ But based on his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. (2 Pet 3:3-13)

The Day of the Lord is coming. We do not know when. As we are being encouraged to prepare for hostile actors – something I have never been encouraged to do in my lifetime and which never felt like a pressing issue before – I am reminded of an even greater need to prepare for Jesus’ return. The consequences of failing to prepare for him are far graver indeed.

As Paul said to the Corinthians, ‘now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation!’ Call upon Jesus while he may be found. Prepare yourself before it is too late.